I was fortunate to be given the day onboard the Celebrity Apex Ship and my goodness, I was blown away. She is part of Celebrity’s Edge Series, delivered in 2020, holding an average of 2950 guests and a maximum of 3200 guests.
As we stepped onboard, we were immediately greeted with a view over the Grand Plaza with chandeliers, a martini bar and stunning decor. During an evening, this area comes alive with a chandelier light show timed to music whilst you enjoy a martini, or two! We then headed to the back of the ship to Eden where we enjoyed fresh juices and some freshly made pastries whilst we took in the view of Eden. It has a very relaxing feel to it with comfy sofas, hammocks and floor to ceiling glass to enjoy the view out to sea. By evening, the lights go down and it is transformed by some amazing entertainment from singers to acrobats.
We then headed to the theatre and what a stunning theatre it was. The screen as the backdrop offers 3D effect and opens in various parts to let the performers out on stage. The seating is tiered, so everyone gets a full unobstructed view of the show, and each arm rest has a cup holder for your drink also which is just a nice touch. All the performers are employed by Celebrity Cruises and are trained and rehearse in Florida. There are two performances every night so there is no need to book in advance. There is a section reserved for Suite guests on the upper level which is released to others 5 minutes before the show starts if it’s not full. As someone who loves the theatre, I could definitely see myself here every night enjoying the performances!
If the theatre isn’t your thing, you could head to the Rooftop Garden. Located on the top deck, by day they show the latest movies or sports events on the large TV screen and by night they have Silent Disco Parties or Jazz under the stars. There is also the Rooftop Garden Grill if you fancied having dinner alfresco as you watch the sunset. The deck below has the main pool which is heated and has plenty of sun beds to go around. There are also two elevated hot tubs in the shape of a martini glass so you can enjoy some sky views of the sea or destination you are in.
There is also an indoor solarium if the weather isn’t so good with plenty of sun beds to relax on also. Now I can’t leave this deck without mentioning the Magic Carpet. This is the part that really sets this ship apart from any other cruise. It is the size of a tennis court, used in the daytime as an extension of the pool area offering a bar and seating area and night time you can enjoy ‘Dinner On The Edge’ experience - This is $100 per person for a gorgeous 7 course dinner with uninterrupted views of the sea and port. Once you arrived at your next port of call, the chairs are popped to one side, it is lowered to sea level and used to transfer guests from the ship to the tender boat making it much smoother and quicker for guests to explore the destination.
I’m a big foodie so I was really looking forward to seeing all the different restaurants onboard the Apex and I couldn’t believe how much choice there was. Not only the choice of restaurants but the range of food once inside also. There is the main restaurant with anything you can think of, from fruit, meats, carvery, curry dishes, pasta dishes and delicious sweet treats. If you prefer waiter service, there are 4 main restaurants to choose from, the Cosmopolitan, the Cyprus, the Normandy and the Tuscan. The menu changes every night with a few classic favourites remaining available. And then they also have a themed menu dedicated to each restaurant also.
There are so many other options also if you just fancied a light bite or failing all that, there is a Pizzeria! The Apex is also not short of bars either! If a Martini isn’t your thing then you could try one of the 40 different crafted beers in Craft Social whilst you catch up on the latest sports game.
If you book a Suite category then you get access to the Retreat Concierge service with so many benefits. Such as the premium drinks package, premium WiFi, access to the retreat lounge, sun deck with additional pool, 24-hour bar, exclusive access to the Luminae Restaurant and so much more. If you upgrade to AquaClass, you will get access to the spa with six different zones with heated ceramic beds overlooking the sea and private access to the Blu restaurant which has ‘Clean Cut Cuisine’ and is all cooked in a healthier way. All the cabins were of a high standard, large comfy beds and beautiful bathrooms. We were also lucky enough to see an Iconic Suite. I can see how it got its name, a large lounge area, kitchen area, a Peloton bike and a large balcony complete with private hot tub.
Overall, it was an amazing taster of what the ship had to offer but there was so much more to see and do. I was blown away at how modern and stunning the ship was in every corner and service onboard was second to none with a welcoming smile from everyone. If you wanted to know anything else or enquire about her itineraries, pop in and see me in Gloucester!
